Lifestyle

• Liam Neeson Dances With Wolves in ‘The Grey’, Except Instead of Dancing With Them, He Kills Them

  Lifestyle January 30, 2012 at 9:49 pm Comments are Disabled

  You may think you’re a badass, but until you trek across the Alaskan wilderness with next-to-no supplies while a pack of savage wolves is stalking you, you can go ahead and just sit down. “The Grey” stars the baddest of badasses, Liam Neeson, in pretty much the same role he played in “Taken” and “Unknown.” The difference here is that instead of punching thugs, he’s punching wolves. This begs the question: Why do we keep putting Chuck Norris on a pedestal when clearly Liam Neeson is the new standard for all things manly? In case you’re unfamiliar with the premise of the film, it’s about an oil-drilling team and their fight for survival after their plane crashes in the northern Alaskan wilderness. As if things aren’t bad enough, shortly after they come to terms with the direness of their situation, the band of survivors encounters a pack of wolves that make their journey home all the more dangerous. The theme of man versus nature is one of the oldest tropes in literature. Director Joe Carnahan, known for his films “Smokin Aces” and “The A-Team” takes a tenser and more tightly wrought approach to action in this film. It’s not about […]

   

• Smartphones May Damage Relationships

  Lifestyle January 30, 2012 at 9:47 pm Comments are Disabled

  We have all noticed that most George Mason University students are on their phones when walking from one class to the next. A majority of students are on iPhones or application-savvy smartphones. According to CNET, the popular tech media website, over one-third of the U.S. population owns a smartphone. This means that every third person sitting in your class right now has one. On what would seem like a completely irrelevant note, many couples are also calling it quits and many friendships are now losing value. So what does this have anything to do with smartphones? It has to do with smartphones because many blogs and editorials are now seeing a correlation between deteriorating relationships and this popular technology. There are more than a few reasons why your beloved iPhone is keeping you single — reasons like distractions. Half the time when you’re on a dinner date and your phone keeps vibrating, you will eventually check it. And this will lead to the infamous line, “Sorry, what’d you say?” or playing Temple Run on your iPhone while tweeting about your date. Now that’s a really bad first impression and will probably be your first and last date. Miscommunication is another […]

   

• SUB 1: The Gathering

  Lifestyle January 30, 2012 at 9:44 pm Comments are Disabled

  Anyone who’s ever eaten at the Rathskeller, or any other dining facility in the lower level of Student Union Building I, has probably noticed the crowd of people that usually forms just outside the doors of the RAT. To the average passerby, that’s all it is — a group of people huddled around, playing a card game. But what game could possibly keep people so invested that they find themselves in the same place most days? One word: “Magic.” Magic: The Gathering is a popular card game played by an estimated 12 million people around the world, in which players assume the roles of warring mages as they summon creatures and cast spells to attack their opponents, draining their life until only one man is left standing. “If you were to try and sum up Magic in 10 words or less, you couldn’t,” said sophomore economics major Nathan McBrady. “There are just too many styles of play.” Indeed, Magic is a game that is easy to learn yet extremely difficult to master. Here at George Mason University, it’s less about the competitiveness and more about having fun with friends. “I was just wandering around, looking for Chick-fil-A,” said freshman computer […]

   

• TV is Not What it Used to Be

  Lifestyle January 30, 2012 at 9:42 pm Comments are Disabled

  For the great majority of Patriots, growing up on the Eastern Seaboard during the ’90s evokes memories that fill one with the nostalgic longing for yesterday. In neighborhood playgrounds across the states, Pokémon battles erupted among elephant pants-clad elementary schoolers, Pluto was still a planet, a hot plate of Pizza Pockets awaited in the kitchen after school and Walkmans were all the “rage.” Times were good but even better once Saturday morning arrived, when one ran down to the family basement and binged on all the new cartoons of the week. These days, kids don’t get excited over Saturday mornings like they once used to. The Millennial generation is now coming to an end and the new additions to our society, Generation Z’ers, are not given the justice they deserve from television programming. The moral education that was once provided through shows such as “The Wild Thornberrys”, Rocket Power, “Zoom!” and “Doug” have been replaced by mindless humor, inappropriateness and bad role models. This does not bode well for the future. As children, the Millennials were graced by a set of programs that exemplified the changing morality of our nation. Becoming less conservative and embracing all the diversity that was […]

   

• Looking Trendy Without Breaking the Bank

  Lifestyle January 30, 2012 at 9:39 pm Comments are Disabled

  They say chic isn’t cheap, but fortunately for college students the game is changing. Many designers have created or are working on a more-affordable sister line that can be purchased by the general public. These lines are not only less expensive, but also allow designers to reach out to a wider array of people. Designers from Karl Lagerfeld to Missoni to Stella McCartney have all collaborated with different chain stores to create their more reasonably priced clothing lines. So what is it about designer duds that get everyone so excited? First off, designer clothing is typically of higher quality than clothing found in a local mall. Though the quality of the clothes is reflected in the price, customers are also paying for the designer’s name. When it comes to buying a Gucci purse for $2,000 or a Dior dress for $3,000, most shoppers simply cannot justify the price. But when consumers can buy clothing and accessories from the same designer for less, most cannot say no. This is why these designer collaborations have become so popular. Some even have customers lining up outside the store just hoping to pick up a piece from the collection. When Target first started its […]

   

• Follow These Tips to Keep Your Hair Looking Fresh

  Lifestyle October 24, 2011 at 7:36 pm Comments are Disabled

  Over the course of centuries, the roles and ambitions of women around the globe have changed drastically. However, the one thing that has remained consistent throughout time has been the undying love women have for their hair. Dating back to ancient times, women of all ages have spent great amounts of time formulating concoctions that will make their hair look healthy, strong, shiny and, of course, better than everyone else’s. For women, these strands of fiber are not just another feature of their anatomy; they are an expression of their personality and a characteristic that defines their style to the world. Women today are willing to spend a fortune on their hair, even if a particular treatment damages it or contains hazardous chemicals. Last year alone, women around the world spent close to $1 billion on hair services and products. Type: Before you start forming your hair care regimens, you must first be fully aware of your hair type and know whether it’s curly, straight, frizzy, chemically treated or heat damaged. You should also know how your hair behaves when it is exposed to water, color, heat, humidity and different types of styling products. This knowledge will prevent you from […]

   
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  Lifestyle October 24, 2011 at 7:34 pm Comments are Disabled

  I was unable to attend the “Paranormal Activity 3” screening that happened in the Johnson Center, but from what I heard through the grapevine, everyone seemed to enjoy it thoroughly. And with an estimated record-breaking opening of $54 million, it’s safe to say that like me, the rest of the world enjoyed the newest installment in the trilogy. When I saw the first “Paranormal Activity” back in 2009, it was via the “Demand It” campaign that gained the movie it’s notoriety. The experience was perfect. No talking, no cell phones. The only noise came from the occasional scream, and the collective inhale that came every time a night sequence started. Then the second one came out and even though it had some good moments that made me jump — namely the cabinet scene, it already felt stagnant and stale. It really was almost like a pasted copy of the original, with too few original ideas. Not so with the third one, though I do think they’re going to have a hard time coming up with reasons to continually have a camera running during the events that are happening in whatever obvious sequel we’ll see next year. Seriously, the introduction of […]

   

• In the Quest to Look Good, Where Do We Draw the Line?

  Lifestyle October 24, 2011 at 7:32 pm Comments are Disabled

  Last week I read a Cosmopolitan article that said women are bleaching their anuses. You didn’t misread, I promise. According to Cosmopolitan’s “The Scary New Butt Beauty Trend,” for $100 or more you can get “an acid applied to your freshly waxed anus and rubbed in.” And apparently ladies, for almost no extra charge, you can get your you-know-what bleached as well. Doesn’t that sound delightful? Women go through the already painful routine of waxing, tweezing, styling, manicures and pedicures, but I did not think that we had come to a point in society where we have to have our nether regions bleached in order to look sexy for a guy. Every time I roll up my hair in curlers and peel off one of those painful pore-strips, I have to think to myself, “Why am I putting myself in so much pain just get a guy to notice me?” I mean, could you imagine getting your anus bleached? I don’t even think it’s safe to use that chemical when I’m cleaning, let alone using it on my back side. Why in the world are women doing this to themselves? Do men really care if our buttholes are supposed to […]

   
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  America’s Next Top Model Tell-All

  Lifestyle October 24, 2011 at 7:31 pm Comments are Disabled

  When I tried out for “America’s Next Top Model,” I had no idea how far I would go or what kind of connections I would make. To this day I don’t even really know why I tried out. I had never seen the show before and just happened to hear about the D.C. tryouts. I told my mom about them and she encouraged me to go and give it a try — after all, it would be a fun experience. What did I have to lose? To prepare for the tryouts, I filled out paperwork that featured a long series of questions. I printed a few photos I had lying around and included them in my application. Then I laid out my skinny jeans, a black T-shirt and my nose-bleed high heels to get ready for the next day. When I arrived at the tryouts, I was shocked to see a line wrapping around the entire venue. There were thousands of girls waiting to try to become “America’s next top model.” Nevertheless, I had come all this way, so I figured I’d give it a shot. When I finally reached the front of the line I was hurried to the […]

   

• Blogs, Online Magazines Have Made Fashion More Accessable to General Public

  Lifestyle October 24, 2011 at 7:29 pm Comments are Disabled

  New technology has made the fashion industry much more accessible. The Internet is full of fashion blogs, online fashion magazines and stores that allow the public to get their fashion fix without ever having to leave the comfort of their homes. Fashion blogs have completely changed the face of fashion. Designers now have a new way to market their products and receive extra publicity from well-known bloggers who post pictures of their runway shows. New, up-and-coming designers have a platform to showcase their designs to the public, something that wouldn’t easily be done on their own. Tavi Gevinson of Style Rookie and Rumi Neely of Fashiontoast, along with a handful of other bloggers, have now become front- row staples at New York Fashion Week. Why exactly are bloggers so popular? For one, they are able to reach the public with just one click, something that magazines aren’t able to do. Before a fashion show is even over, bloggers are posting pictures, videos or comments on the show. Before fashion blogs and online magazine content was created, the public would have to wait close to a month before they could get the same information in most magazines and newspapers. Each blogger’s […]